An American coach enters the EPL, and his name is Bob Bradley
LONDON: Bob Bradley will become the first American to manage a Premier League team after Swansea City hired the 58-year-old to replace Italian Francesco Guidolin yesterday,
Guidolin’s future has been in doubt after a poor start to the season which continued on Saturday with a 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool that left Swansea fourth bottom of the table.
The American-owned club announced on their website that Guidolin, who joined in January following the sacking of Garry Monk, had left and that the former US national coach would take over.
Bradley will take charge of French club Le Havre for the final time on Monday when they take on Sochaux.
“We are obviously disappointed to part company with Francesco,” Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said.
“We felt he deserved his opportunity after the work he did last season. Unfortunately we have not been able to carry performances over from last season and we felt we needed to change things as soon as possible in order to move forward.”
Bradley is a vastly-experienced coach who managed in the MLS with Chicago Fire and MetroStars before becoming US coach from 2006-11. He also had a spell in charge of Egypt.
“We are delighted Bob has agreed to join us,” Jenkins said. “He is well aware of the club’s footballing philosophy and will provide us with strong leadership qualities and a renewed belief. It is never easy changing managers, but we are looking at a long-term appointment and we are confident Bob can settle us down and stabilise matters on and off the pitch.”
Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s disappointing start to life outside the Premier League cost manager Roberto Di Matteo his job after the club announced they had parted company yesterday.
Di Matteo, who won the Champions League while in charge of Chelsea 2012, lasted only 124 days. “Aston Villa Football Club has today parted company with manager Roberto Di Matteo,” the club said.
“The club decided to act following a run of disappointing results which has the left the team occupying 19th position in the Championship.”
Di Matteo took over in June after the club were relegated from the Premier League last season but has managed to win only one of 11 Championship matches.
They also lost in the first round of the League Cup to fourth tier Luton Town.
The seven-times English champions are playing in England’s second tier for the first time since they were promoted to the first division in 1988. – Reuters